Learning the ABC’s of Community

Cape Town, South Africa - 28 July 2007 - Having realised the low level of literacy skills among the more senior learners (12-17); Lola , as an ex-school teacher and Principal of Lola Kramer International Realtors situated in Hout Bay, has embarked on a drive to improve these very crucial skills and has set up a reading/literacy program. This program is dedicated to getting the children like Simpilo back to school and off the streets.

The project has taken off so well and more and more students have joined the program. School master of Sentinel Primary, J. Jansen, says that most of the children were unable to identify the letters of the alphabet. “I am indeed pleased and excited to report that they can now read full sentences with comprehension� he said. From every property sale that Lola Kramer (http://www.internationalrealtors.co.za) makes, she has dedicated a portion towards the literacy program.

According to the Stanford University website, literacy rates in South Africa are very low. Thirty percent of adults are functionally illiterate (ELRU). One of the basic causes of this is the lack of money to fund education. Although up to 20% of the nation's budget is spent on educational programmes, resources are not sufficient to provide every learner with the opportunity to become a confident reader and writer. Inequitable funding structures, disparities in school fees, insufficient teacher training, lack of supplementary materials in indigenous African languages, absence of access to books are typically seen as the causes of low literacy rates. While these are certainly key factors, specialists also point out that South Africa does not have a "reading culture."
The attitudes toward reading in particular are not conducive to literacy, and include:
· Reading is not something people do during their free time;
· Reading is not something useful outside of school;
· Reading is often not seen as an empowering skill
A large percentage of the population do not have books in their homes. Drop-out rates are above 50%, with many students finding no point in continuing, or getting recruited by neighborhood gangs (Abrams). Many parents also do not know about the resources they could offer or seek out to further their children's education (ELRU). Differences between the language used as the educational medium and the language spoken at home add to the difficulties of building a reading culture.
Lola commented: “We have consistently achieved the highest prices paid for properties in Hout Bay and Llandudno. This is due to our realistic pricing, our consistent and aggressive marketing and the International Realtors (http://www.internationalrealtors.co.za) referral network which makes properties accessible locally, nationally and internationally. A portion of our sales are used to fund our reading/literacy program. We still believe that there is no substitute for experience, hard work and dedication. We always negotiate a great deal and believe strongly in creating a ‘reading culture’ in South Africa and giving back to the community that we serve.�

Contact Lola Kramer International Realtors for more information on property in South Africa or the literacy project. Direct line: 021 790 4439 Email: sales@lolakramer.com . Other helpful information regarding this press release can be found at: http://www.internationalrealtors.co.za

For More Information Contact:
International Realtors
Tel: 021 556 9009
Email: irho@mweb.co.za
Web: http://www.internationalrealtors.co.za